On Dartmoor's northern edge, the landscape is dominated by Cosdon Hill. Here the first inhabitants made their mark upon the rock several thousand years before warning fires burned on its summit and people populated the valleys below. When the Dumnonii took to farming, and tree worship gave way to a new religion, the tides of change were already leaving a rich tapestry of history marked on the land for those to come.

Wealthy conquerors divided the countryside while their tenants ploughed and worked it and the wandering pedlars and packmen carried their wares through the winding trackways of the parish.

In this unique volume readers can share in a century of little-known photographs, and discover, though ancient stories and records, the inheritance that awaits those keen to explore these historic lands below the beacon.

South Tawton and South Zeal with Sticklepath traces the history of the villages from Saxon times, but essentially celebrates the last century of daily life in the community. Included are over 200 photographs and a lively text portraying every aspect of local life, from farming, houses, chapels and church, to local industry, schools, inns and days of celebration and leisure. Wherever possible, names have been put to faces down through the generations making the book a valuable heirloom for anyone living in the parish or for those who have family associations